Eveline Summary and Line by Line Explanation
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Chapter 2- Eveline Summary, Explanation along with Difficult Word Meanings from Kaleidoscope Book Short Stories
Eveline Summary – Are you looking for the summary, theme and lesson explanation for CBSE 12 English (Elective) Chapter 2 -Eveline from English Kaleidoscope Book Short Stories . Get Lesson summary, theme, explanation along with difficult word meanings
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Short Stories Chapter 2 – Eveline
By James Joyce
A story from the compilation called Dubliners, it is a sympathetic portrayal of Eveline, who has within her reach escape from the drudgery of her life but cannot gather enough courage to seize it. ‘Eveline’ explores the relationship between the past and the future by examining a single person’s attitude to their life in Dublin.
Related:
Eveline Summary
Eveline Hill, a nineteen-year-old woman from Dublin, sits by the window, lost in thought about her plan to escape with Frank, an Irish sailor settled in Buenos Aires. As she gazes at the empty street, the smell of dust in the air makes her wonder about the passage of time.
Her mind drifts to memories of the field that once stood across the street, where she and her siblings played with neighborhood children before the land was developed into brick houses. She reminisces about the days when her mother was alive, her father was kind, and her brothers were still at home. But time has changed everything, and now Eveline feels it is her turn to seek change.
Looking around her home, each object evokes a memory. She recalls the portrait of a priest, a friend of her father now living in Melbourne. Although determined to leave, Eveline is plagued by doubts about abandoning her family and the judgment of others.
She reflects on her harsh work environment under Miss Gavan’s constant scolding and envisions a better life with Frank, free from her abusive, alcoholic father who squandered her earnings and made her life miserable after her mother’s death. Eveline remembers her mother’s dying wish for her to care for the family, a promise that weighs heavily on her.
Her thoughts shift to Frank, who offered her love and an escape from her grim reality. Their relationship, once open, became secret after her father forbade it. Despite her father’s threats and suspicions, Frank brought joy into Eveline’s life.
Having written farewell letters to her father and brother Harry, Eveline heads to the station. Amid the bustling crowd, she stands at the dock as Frank urges her to board the ship. Overwhelmed by fear and memories, Eveline freezes. The ship’s whistle blows, but she remains clinging to the railing, unable to leave. Frank calls out to her, but she stays behind, paralyzed by indecision and the weight of her past.
Summary of the Lesson Eveline in Hindi
डबलिन की उन्नीस वर्षीय महिला एवलिन हिल, खिड़की के पास बैठी है, ब्यूनस आयर्स में बसे एक आयरिश नाविक फ्रैंक के साथ भागने की अपनी योजना के बारे में सोच रही है। जैसे ही वह खाली सड़क को देखती है, हवा में धूल की गंध उसे समय बीतने के बारे में सोचने पर मजबूर कर देती है।
उसका मन उस मैदान की यादों में खो जाता है जो कभी सड़क के उस पार हुआ करता था, जहाँ वह और उसके भाई-बहन पड़ोस के बच्चों के साथ खेला करते थे, इससे पहले कि उस जमीन को ईंट के घरों में बदल दिया जाता। वह उन दिनों को याद करती है जब उसकी माँ जीवित थी, उसके पिता दयालु थे, और उसके भाई अभी भी घर पर थे। लेकिन समय ने सब कुछ बदल दिया है, और अब एवलिन को लगता है कि बदलाव की तलाश करने की बारी उसकी है।
अपने घर के चारों ओर देखते हुए, प्रत्येक वस्तु एक स्मृति को जगाती है। उसे एक पुजारी का चित्र याद आता है, जो अब मेलबर्न में रहने वाले उसके पिता का मित्र है। हालाँकि छोड़ने का दृढ़ निश्चय है, लेकिन एवलिन अपने परिवार को छोड़ने और दूसरों के निर्णय के बारे में संदेह से ग्रस्त है।
वह मिस गेवन की लगातार डांट के तहत अपने कठोर कार्य वातावरण को याद करती है और फ्रैंक के साथ एक बेहतर जीवन की कल्पना करती है, अपने अपमानजनक, शराबी पिता से मुक्त, जिसने उसकी कमाई को बर्बाद कर दिया और उसकी मां की मौत के बाद उसका जीवन दयनीय बना दिया। एवलिन को अपनी मां की मरते समय की इच्छा याद आती है कि वह परिवार की देखभाल करे, एक वादा जो उस पर भारी पड़ता है। उसके विचार फ्रैंक की ओर जाते हैं, जिसने उसे प्यार और उसकी गंभीर वास्तविकता से भागने की पेशकश की थी। उनका रिश्ता, एक बार खुला, उसके पिता द्वारा मना करने के बाद गुप्त हो गया। अपने पिता की धमकियों और संदेह के बावजूद, फ्रैंक ने एवलिन के जीवन में खुशियाँ ला दीं। अपने पिता और भाई हैरी को विदाई पत्र लिखने के बाद, एवलिन स्टेशन की ओर चल फ्रैंक उसे पुकारता है, लेकिन वह अनिर्णय और अपने अतीत के बोझ से स्तब्ध होकर पीछे ही रह जाती है।
Theme of the Lesson Eveline
Forms of death
Death has been shown both literally and figuratively. Certain people who are ‘no more’ like her mother and Brother Ernest. While figuratively, after she elopes, she will lose contact with her family and become dead for them.
Marriage is also a metaphor for death for her because, as a result of it, she will lose her identity, and she will be no more. Her husband will become her master and identity. Those who cannot make their decisions are trapped and thus, are dead.
Catholic values
The Christian concepts of guilt, sin, and redemption have been portrayed through the character of Eveline. She sacrifices her happiness to get rid of the guilt of not fulfilling the promise that she had made to her mother.
Nostalgia
Eveline thinks of the past. Her childhood days when the neighbourhood kids, her siblings and she would play in the field. She thought of the promise made to her dead mother, her mother’s craziness. Her father’s harsh nature and bad behaviour with her and her mother.
She restricts from liberating herself because of the binding thoughts of the past.
Women and the society
Eveline embodies the struggles of twentieth-century women, trapped in a patriarchal society where men held power and women were subjugated. In this hierarchical structure, women were often seen as fragile beings in need of protection, a perception internalized by both genders. Eveline’s desire for emotional and physical support leads her to Frank, but her skepticism and internalized fear prevent her from breaking free. She becomes a conformist, mirroring her mother’s path instead of rebelling against societal norms. Eveline’s plight highlights the need for women to challenge societal expectations and assert their equality with men.
Eveline Lesson Explanation
Passage:
She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue. Her head was leaned against the window curtains and in her nostrils was the odour of dusty cretonne. She was tired.
Few people passed. The man out of the last house passed on his way home; she heard his footsteps clacking along the concrete pavement and afterwards crunching on the cinder path before the new red houses. One time there used to be a field there in which they used to play every evening with other people’s children. Then a man from Belfast bought the field and built houses in it—not like their little brown houses but bright brick houses with shining roofs. The children of the avenue used to play together in that field—the Devines, the Waters, the Dunns, little Keogh the cripple, she and her brothers and sisters. Ernest, however, never played: he was too grown up. Her father used often to hunt them in and out of the field with his blackthorn stick; but usually little Keogh used to keep nix and call out when he saw her father coming. Still they seemed to have been rather happy then. Her father was not so bad then; and besides, her mother was alive. That was a long time ago; she and her brothers and sisters were all grown up; her mother was dead. Tizzie Dunn was dead, too, and the Waters had gone back to England. Everything changes. Now she was going to go away like the others, to leave her home.
Word meanings:
Odour: smell
Cretonne: a heavy cotton fabric, typically with a floral pattern printed on one or both sides, used for upholstery.
Concrete: a mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and water, used as a building material
Pavement: a raised path for pedestrians at the side of a road.
Cinder: a small piece of partly burned coal or wood
Invade: capture, occupy
Belfast: the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland
Avenue: a street
Cripple: a person with disability
Blackthorn: name of a variety of bush or small tree
nix: an old slang word, originally used by thieves, to refer to the member of a gang who kept watch
Explanation of the passage: Young Eveline sat near the window of the room. Her head touched the curtain on the window and she could feel the smell of the dust from the curtain fabric. She was tired after doing household works. She saw people passing by the street. A man who lived in the last house on the street walked past. His footsteps could be heard on the walk path made of concrete, followed by the path made of cinder which was outside the new houses. A man had come from Belfast and had constructed new houses in the open ground where once Eveline and the neighbourhood kids used to play. These houses were different from the old brown ones, these were made of bright red bricks and had shiny roofs. Then she recollects the various kids who used to play with her in the ground- the Devines, the Waters, the Dunns, little Keogh the cripple, she and her brothers and sisters. Her brother, Ernst was grown up so he didn’t play with them. Their father would run after them with a stick to chase them out of the ground. Little Keogh would act like a watchman and would inform them when her father would arrive looking for them. The kids would enjoy all this. She recollects that her father was not so bad at that time and things were different because her mother was alive. Now, they were all grownup and her mother was dead. One of their neighbour Tizzie Dunn who played with them was also dead and another neighbours, the Waters had moved to England. Things change with time. Now even she had plans to leave home and move to another place.
Passage:
Home! She looked round the room, reviewing all its familiar objects which she had dusted once a week for so many years, wondering where on earth all the dust came from. Perhaps she would never see again those familiar objects from which she
had never dreamed of being divided. And yet during all those years she had never found out the name of the priest whose yellowing photograph hung on the wall above the broken harmonium beside the coloured print of the promises made to Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque. He had been a school friend of her father. Whenever he showed the photograph to a visitor her father used to pass it with a casual word: ‘He is in Melbourne now.’
Word meanings:
Familiar: someone or something that is known
yellowing photograph: as paper gets old, it starts turning yellow to brown in colour. Yellowing photograph means that it was old and the paper was turning yellow in colour.
Explanation of the passage: Eveline looked around the room and tried to see each object placed around. She had dusted and cleaned these objects once every week for the past several years and she had never thought that she would separate from them one day. Then she looked at the photo of a priest (whose name she didn’t know till now) that hung on the wall above the broken harmonium next to another coloured print of promises made to a man called Margaret Mary Alacoque. This person was a friend of Eveline’s father at school. Whenever they had a visitor, her father would show the photograph to him and say casually that now Alacoque was settled in Melbourne.
Passage:
She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question. In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her. Of course she had to work hard, both in the house and at business. What would they say of her in the Stores when they found out that she had run away with a fellow? Say she was a fool, perhaps; and her place would be filled up by advertisement. Miss Gavan would be glad. She had always had an edge on her, especially whenever there were people listening.
Word meanings:
Consented: agreed to
Weigh each side of the question: to think over the pros and cons of something
had an edge on her: had advantage over her
Explanation of the passage: Eveline had agreed to leave her house but now she thought if it was a wise decision. SHe thought of the pros and cons of leaving her home. Her home provided food and shelter and she lived with people whom she had known all her life, her siblings and father. However, she had to work a lot – at home and for her business also. Then she thought that when the staff at the store would know that she had run away with someone, they would also talk about it. Maybe they would call her a fool and surely, the position at which she worked would get filled by some one else who would be hired after placing a recruitment advertisement. Her boss Miss Gavan would be happy at her leaving because she had always been at an advantage over her, and had gossipped about her with others.
Passage:
‘Miss Hill, don’t you see these ladies are waiting?’
‘Look lively, Miss Hill, please.’
She wouId not cry many tears at leaving the Stores.
But in her new home, in a distant unknown country, it would not be like that. Then she would be married—she, Eveline. People would treat her with respect then. She would not be treated as her mother had been. Even now, though she was over nineteen, she sometimes felt herself in danger of her father’s violence. She knew it was that that had given her the palpitations. When they were growing up he had never gone for her, like he used to go for Harry and Ernest, because she was a girl; but latterly he had begun to threaten her and say what he would do to her only for her dead mother’s sake. And now she had nobody to protect her. Ernest was dead and Harry, who was in the church decorating business, was nearly always down somewhere in the country. Besides, the invariable squabble for money on Saturday nights had begun to weary her unspeakably. She always gave her entire wages—seven shillings—and Harry always sent up what he could but the trouble was to get any money from her father. He said she used to squander the money, that she had no head, that he wasn’t going to give her his hard earned money to throw about the streets, and much more, for he was usually fairly bad on Saturday night. In the end he would give her the money and ask her had she any intention of buying Sunday’s dinner. Then she had to rush out as quickly as she could and do her marketing, holding her black leather purse tightly in her hand as she elbowed her way through the crowds and returning home late under her load of provisions. She had hard work to keep the house together and to see that the two young children who had been left to her charge went to school regularly and got their meals regularly. It was hard work—a hard life—but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life.
Word meanings:
Palpitations: strong, irregular heartbeat
never gone for her: didn’t like her
Invariable: never changing
Squabble: noisy quarrel
Weary: tired
Squander: to waste money
Elbow her way: to push away people in a crowded place with the elbow, to make way
Explanation of the passage: Miss Gavan would ask Eveline if she could not see that ladies were waiting for their turn. She would ask her to look lively and smiling. So, Eveline thought that she would not shed any tears at the idea of leaving the store because she had not been happy working with Miss Gavan.
Then she thought of her new home which was unknown to her. However, she would be married then. So, she would get respect from people. Her husband would not treat her the way her mother had been treated by her father. Now Eveline was above nineteen years of age but still she experienced danger at the hand of her father’s violent nature. His harsh nature had caused her to become a nervous person. As kids also, she had experienced gender bias as her dad would like her brothers more than her. Now he would even threaten her that he tolerated her only because of her dead mother. Now, there was no one to protect Eveline. Her brother Ernst was dead and Harry was busy with his church decoration business which kept him in the countryside most of the time. Then the weekly fights over money that took place every Saturday had started making her feel tired. She would give all her earning that was seven shillings and Harry would also send all the money that he could but her father would not contribute any money. He would blame her for wasting money, that she was mindless and that he would not give his hard earned money to be wasted here and there in the streets. He would raise such fights especially on Saturday nights. Finally, he would give her the money after the fight and ask her to buy stuff for Sunday dinner. Then Eveline would go out in a hurry to buy grocery. She would hold her black leather purse tightly and would elbow people to make her way through crowded streets as she carried loads of items. She worked hard to run the house well, take care of two children, ensure they went to school and got meals on time. Her life was hard and now that she was about to leave, she realized that it was not that bad.
Passage:
She was about to explore another life with Frank. Frank was very kind, manly, open-hearted. She was to go away with him by the night boat to be his wife and to live with him in Buenos Aires where he had a home waiting for her. How well she remembered the first time she had seen him; he was lodging in a house on the main road where she used to visit. It seemed a few weeks ago. He was standing at the gate, his peaked cap pushed back on his head and his hair tumbled forward over a face of bronze. Then they had come to know each other. He used to meet her outside the Stores every evening and see her home. He took her to see The Bohemian Girl and she felt elated as she sat in an unaccustomed part of the theatre with him. He was awfully fond of music and sang a little. People knew that they were courting and, when he sang about the lass that loves a sailor, she always felt pleasantly confused. He used to call her Poppens out of fun. First of all it had been an excitement for her to have a fellow and then she had begun to like him. He had tales of distant countries. He had started as a deck boy at a pound a month on a ship of the Allan Line going out to Canada. He told her the names of the ships he had been on and the names of the different services. He had sailed through the Straits of Magellan and he told her stories of the terrible Patagonians. He had fallen on his feet in Buenos Aires, he said, and had come over to the old country just for a holiday. Of course, her father had found out the affair and had forbidden her to have anything to say to him.
Word meanings:
Peaked: rising to a point
Tumbled: to fall without control
Face of bronze: bronze signifies strength and stability
Elated: happy
Unaccustomed: Not used to something
Courting: be involved with someone with the intention of marrying
Lass: girl
Affair: relationship
Forbidden: not allowed
Explanation of the passage: By marrying Frank, Eveline would enter a new phase of life. Frank was a kind man and was generous too. The plan was that Eveline would go with him on the boat, to Buenos Aires and live in his house. Eveline clearly remembered their first meeting when he was staying at the house on the main road where she used to go to. It seemed to her that it was only a few weeks ago that they had met for the first time. She clearly remembered that Frank stood at the gate of the house, wearing a cap which was raised in the centre and his hair falling forward. His face showed strength and stability. Once they got friendly, he would meet her outside the store where she worked and he would walk her to her home every evening. He even took her out to watch a show titled The Bohemian Girl and Eveline was joyous to sit in an unusual seat in the theatre. Frank liked music and even sang. Everyone knew that they were dating and intended to get married. When Frank would sing a song about a girl who loves a sailor, she would feel happy and confused. He had nicknamed her Poppens. Initially, Eveline was excited that she knew a man and later, she started liking him. He would tell her tales of his visits to faraway places. He had started his career as a deck boy and worked for a company called Allan line which sent ships to Canada. He had told her the names of the various ships that he had sailed and the different services that they provided.
Passage:
‘I know these sailor chaps,’ he said.
One day he had quarrelled with Frank and after that she had to meet her lover secretly.
The evening deepened in the avenue. The white of two letters in her lap grew indistinct. One was to Harry; the other was to her father. Ernest had been her favourite but she liked Harry too. Her father was becoming old lately, she noticed; he would miss her. Sometimes he could be very nice. Not long before, when she had been laid up for a day, he had read her out a ghost story and made toast for her at the fire. Another day, when their mother was alive, they had all gone for a picnic to the Hill of Howth. She remembered her father putting on her mother’s bonnet to make the children laugh.
Word meanings:
Bonnet: a woman’s or child’s hat tied under the chin and with a brim framing the face.
Explanation of the passage: Her father did not rely on sailors. After his quarrel with Frank, she had to meet him in private. As the night grew darker, visibility reduced and the words on the two letters became unclear. One letter was for Harry and the other for her father. While Ernst was her favourite sibling, she even liked Harry. As her father was growing old, she knew that he would miss her. At times, he would be nice to her. A few days ago when she had taken leave from work, he had narrated a story of ghosts to her. He also made a toast for her. When her mother was alive, then they had gone for a picnic to the Hill of Howth. There the father wore the mother’s hat and acted in a humorous manner to entertain them.
Passage:
Her time was running out but she continued to sit by the window, leaning her head against the window curtain, inhaling the odour of dusty cretonne. Down far in the avenue she could hear a street organ playing. She knew the air. Strange that it should come that very night to remind her of the promise to her mother, her promise to keep the home together as long as she could. She remembered the last night of her mother’s illness; she was again in the close dark room at the other side of the hall and outside she heard a melancholy air of Italy. The organ player had been ordered to go away and given six-pence. She remembered her father strutting back into the sickroom saying: ‘Damned Italians! coming over here!’
Word meanings:
Melancholy: sad
Strutting: a particular way of walking similar to a soldier’s march past
Explanation of the passage: Eveline had only a few minutes left to leave but she remained seated by the window. She kept on inhaling the smell of dusty curtains. She could hear the music of a mouth organ being played in the street. The air of the area was familiar to her. She was reminded of the promise she had made to her dying mother, that she would ensure the family remained united till she was alive. Now she planned to leave and so, she would break that promise. Then she remembered mother’s last day of illness, the dark room and outside there was the sad air which was typical to Italy. Someone had given 6 pence to the mouth organ player and asked the person to leave. She was reminded of her father who has walked stiffly into the room and had cursed the Italians to have gone there.
Passage:
As she mused—the pitiful vision of her mother’s life laid its spell on the very quick of her being that life of commonplace sacrifices closing in final craziness. She trembled as she heard again her mother’s voice saying constantly with foolish insistence: ‘Derevaun Seraun! Derevaun Seraun!’
Word meanings:
Mused: thought
Foolish: mindless
Insistence: command
Derevaun…. Seraun: possibly corrupt Gaelic for ‘the end of pleasure is pain’
Explanation of the passage: As Eveline thought of her mother’s life, it was a life of a commoner which was full of sacrifices which had made her crazy in the end. Eveline shivered as she recollected the mother’s final words which meant that the end of pleasure is pain. She had spoken in a crazy commanding manner which showed that she had lost sanity.
Passage:
She stood up in a sudden impulse of terror. Escape! She must escape! Frank would save her. He would give her life, perhaps love, too. But she wanted to live. Why should she be unhappy? She had a right to happiness. Frank would take her in his arms, fold her in his arms. He would save her.
Word meanings:
Impulse: a sudden desire to act
Explanation of the passage: Eveline had a sudden feeling of terror and she stood up. She wanted to run away from the house. Frank was a saviour, he would give her life and love. Eveline wanted to live her life. She did not want to be unhappy. Being happy was her right. Frank would hug her and save her.
Passage:
She stood among the swaying crowd in the station at the North Wall. He held her hand and she knew that he was speaking to her, saying something about the passage over and over again. The station was full of soldiers with brown baggages. Through the wide doors of the sheds she caught a glimpse of the black mass of the boat, lying in beside the quay wall, with illumined portholes. She answered nothing. She felt her cheek pale and cold and, out of a maze of distress, she prayed to God to direct her, to show her what was her duty. The boat blew a long mournful whistle into the mist. If she went, tomorrow she would be on the sea with Frank, steaming toward Buenos Aires. Their passage had been booked. Could she still draw back after all he had done for her? Her distress awoke a nausea in her body and she kept moving her lips in silent fervent prayer.
Word meanings:
Swaying: moving to and fro
Glimpse: slight view
Quay: a platform in the water used for loading and unloading boats and ships
Illumined: brighten
Porthole: a small window on the outside of a ship or aircraft.
Maze: puzzle
Distress: trouble
Nausea: feeling of sickness
Fervent: having a passionate intensity
Explanation of the passage: Eveline stood in the crowd at the station at North Wall. Frank held her hand as he spoke to her. He was saying something about the passage. The area was full of soldiers who carried brown colour luggage. She got a slight view of the boat through the doors of the shed. The boat was fixed near the quay and it had bright windows. She did not reply to Frank. Her cheeks were colourless and cold. She was in a state of confusion and trouble. She prayed to God to direct her the right path. The boat sounded a whistle to indicate that it was ready to sail. If Eveline went with Frank, she would sail on the sea with him and go to Buenos Aires. The ticket was booked. She thought if she could refuse to go with him despite all that he had done for her. Her troubled condition made her feel tired and she kept on praying passionately.
Passage:
A bell clanged upon her heart. She felt him seize her hand:
‘Come!’
All the seas of the world tumbled about her heart. He was drawing her into them: he would drown her. She gripped with both hands at the iron railing.
‘Come!’
No! No! No! It was impossible. Her hands clutched the iron in frenzy. Amid the seas she sent a cry of anguish.
‘Eveline! Evvy!’
He rushed beyond the barrier and called to her to follow. He was shouted at to go on but he still called to her. She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal. Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition.
Word meanings:
Clanged: rang
Seize: grabbed
Tumbled: fell and rolled
Frenzy: madness
Anguish: sadness
Passive: not giving any response
Explanation of the passage: As Frank held her hand, a bell rang in her heart. He asked her to go with him. It was as if several seas were rolling inside her. Frank was pulling her towards those seas. Perhaps he would drown her in them. This shows her reluctance to go with him. He held the iron railing tightly. He called her again but she couldn’t go with him. She held the railing tightly and gave a cry of sadness. He called her and crossed the barrier to call her. The boat’s sailor shouted at him not to go near the barrier but he went and called her. She looked at him without any response as if she was a helpless animal. Her eyes gave no signal of love, goodbye or even that she knew him.
Conclusion
This post gives detailed lesson notes of Eveline story from the Kaleidoscope book for students of class 12. Students can also go through the detailed summary fo a quick recap and also, check out the meanings of difficult words for a better understanding of the story.